The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1887-09-30

line q skirmishers quietly turned and
marched Up through 10 corn . he
TOP % he ridga ~ thsy came % TIE
open ground q ~ summit ~ Va stIll
about and n front % them Their
comrades were out q hearing il their
retreat. The Captain mounted HE
horse which a orderly had been
holding while The Captain was on foot
with his skirmishers-and put his H.
lie regiment II motion % follow the
army. He himself remained until the
| Last % his men had 6lsd By. and then
followed. A. be did thiA be turned
his face - e for = last Iook AZ the
bloody field There was nothing there
now but darknes and silence Perfect
silence. Il seemed thinking q what
hal been there now less than two
hours before IL Wa perfoct silence.
save that two hundred yards down the
ridge 20 the front. where the enemy's
dead and wounded lay thickest. :
sharp CRY came up ont Of the night
now and then. - the hospital corps
lifted : sufferer too roughly or turned
some poor fellow over upon mangled
limb. Save. also. that : rustling noise
| in the corn through which he had just
come told the Captain that the encmy's
administers left ~ the fence below
were already moving on his track
1.-The last man at Chickamauga'
muttered the captain - be rode on aft
cr his regiment
They passed quickly down the rear
xard slope into the deeper shadow Of
the valley. and presently turning theil
heads to look behind. saw family ont
lined against the sky the figures Of ths
Southern skirmishers = one after an
other they emerged from the corn and
stood upon the crest
The last Of Chickamaugas All. no
Not the last; for - the little real
guard reached the lower ground they
came upon their wounded comrades
who. too badly hurt to 90 on TO tn
rear. had vet with untold agony
dragged themselves back from the FIRE
swept ground in front. and % got par
tial shelter. Along the route thes'
wretched sufferers lay thickly. Her
one with an arm half torn Of; there 1
foot dangling; here : poor fellow sho
through the body. his death question
not Of hours, but Of minutes; and .
on. in sickening continuance And al
| wanting waterl There had been nom
AL day. and the retreating soldier
were marching with lips and tongue
blackened and swollen and crackes
with thirst until many could utter n
articulate sound
Boys you won't 60 and leave u
heree''
For Gods sake. water. water!''
Boys. are you going on the retrea
and leave rs behind?"
You ought to hold the ground
boys. till they take care Of us!'
..wafer! water! Don't let u di
here?''
Pitiful. pitiful appealsl And AL il
vain Not canteen Of water in III
whole command. Not an ambulance
within miles Nothing but victor
ous foe behind. an unknown way 4
front. and the blackness 81 night ovel
all! PitifaI. pitiful! Harder % face
these reproaches than all Of Bragg
artillery. An, here Is punishment
Not only TO leave the field 20 the enc
my. but 70 abandon torn and bleeding
brothers. also!
i So thought the Captain. riding i
rear Of his little worn command. Pres
entity be heard wcllknown voice .
the roadside. and pulled up his horse
II Good heavens. Major. You here
and hurt.'' cried the Captain. - b
came close to PROSTATE figure at th
roadside.
Yes. Milney. I'm here For God
sake get me drink Of water." replies
the sufferer. And then went on eager
II: is Il retreat. Captain? Have "
lost il all? Where are the ambulance
and the hospital trains? Are all thes
I poor fellows to be left 70 the enemy
'. Why. they can't take care Of their owl
in this wilderness. let alone ourss
Is cruel-itis horrible! Get me adrink
Captain; get me drink! That il all
shall ever want l shall not get AVA
from here"
II Captain 1lilncy dismounted He ha'
few precious drops Of water in Mi
canteen-hoarled for hours against hi
own thirst His friend. Major Cation
be found was shot in the breast-ho,
badly could mot be told He va
quickly relieved 80 far - half dozel
swallows Of the life-giving water couI'
do L.
! God bless you. liilneyr' be cried
you've done me the last service
: shall receive in Life. God bless you
: my friend! And now 20 on 70
can't help these poor fellows here.
? know; you can't help me any further
: Go on with your regiment and leav
!. rs But here. Milney. take this letter
and when you 60 back in Gods Obi
country give il to Nina Clark. and tel
her that her promise made . man q
me when I was nigh desperation an
despair. Tell her ! say G0d bless be
for ify''
s.A1ina Carkr' exclaimed Capsal